I put a DB4 & DB2 together...DB6 :)

[vmaxed]

I put a DB4 & DB2 together to try and get my Digital Stations in with out using a rotor and it works fine.
I point the DB4 at SPRINGFIELD,MA(35°) and the DB2 at HARTFORD. CT (100°) .I used some 3/32 sold copper wire I had here from a job at work to join them together.

yellow - vhf
WTXX-DT 20.1 CW WATERBURY CT 139° 3.7 12

yellow - uhf
WTIC-DT 31.1 FOX HARTFORD CT 139° 3.7 31
yellow - uhf
WFSB-DT 3.1 CBS HARTFORD CT 71° 5.2 33

yellow - uhf
WVIT-DT 30.1 NBC NEW BRITAIN CT 142° 3.9 35

red - uhf
WUVN-DT 18.1 UNI HARTFORD CT 73° 5.4 46

red - vhf
WTNH-DT 10.1 ABC NEW HAVEN CT 202° 21.8 10
red - uhf
WGGB 40.1 ABC SPRINGFIELD MA 33° 37.2 40

blue - vhf
WWLP-DT 22.1 NBC SPRINGFIELD MA 35° 26.0 11
blue - uhf
WGBY 57.1-57.5 PBS SPRINGFIELD MA 33° 37.2 57
violet - uhf
WCTX-DT 59.1 MNT NEW HAVEN CT 202° 21.8 39

Ed...

 

[roashru]

Wow, you didnt use two transformers and a little short coax to connect them. 300 ohm is the best way to connect the antennas. just make sure the wire stays apart enough from each other, and far away enough from any ground.

 

[lunkie]

If it works, that's all you can ask for. With the coppper wires running parallel like that it's as close to 300 ohms as your going to get. As per roashru above, keep em seperated

 

[roashru]

I like using 300 ohm antennas. now, everyone is getting forced into the 75 ohm "bridge" antenna

 

[Jim5506]

There is actually less line loss running good 300 ohm twinlead to your receiver than using 75 ohm RG-6, but it is more difficult to setup and maintain.

 

[roashru]

Jim5506, I laugh sometimes at the commercial installers that frequent this forum hey if its not in the catalog its not available or cant be done.

 

[Jim5506]

Back in the 50's, way out in the boonies, ranchers and farmers, etc. used rhombic antennas mounted between telephone poles up on a hill a mile or more from the house, and sent the signal to their TV via parallel 300 ohm wires often spaced 3 ft apart. Now we have to have a pre-amp to pump signal over 100 ft.

 

[vmaxed]

I was able to get on the roof yesterday and change the copper wire too 12 gage outdoor romex sold copper wire.It is easy to turn now with out grounding out.

What is strange is I get two vhf channels with a sold signal.

WWLP-DT 22.1 NBC SPRINGFIELD MA 26 miles from the side of the DB2. and,
WTNH-DT 10.1 ABC NEW HAVEN CT 21.8 miles from the back of the DB4.

Ed...

 

[jcrandall]

I've seen many UHF antennas get reliable VHF signals from channel 8 up...

What station are your 10 and 22 station actually broadcasting their digital signal on, as 22 is not VHF? For example, 10 in our market is actually broadcast on 57.

 

[vmaxed]

I've seen many UHF antennas get reliable VHF signals from channel 8 up...

What station are your 10 and 22 station actually broadcasting their digital signal on, as 22 is not VHF? For example, 10 in our market is actually broadcast on 57.

WTNH-DT 10.1 ABC NEW HAVEN CT 202° 21.8 (channel 10)

WWLP-DT 22.1 NBC SPRINGFIELD MA 35° 26.0 (channel 11)

If I point at the vhf towers I get a weak signal

My Zip is 06085

Ed...:

 

[lunkie]

More than likely your picking up a reflection, a real good one. I see from the pictures there are no leaves on the trees. Things may change as the foliage appears. Looks like you have room for a rotor on that pole. You might end up having to get another db2 and making a db8 and pointing it. Time will tell, keep us posted.

 

[vmaxed]

Update on DB4, DB2 install

I changed the connections back to 75 ohm with a two way splitter and two even lengths of RG-6.
With all the extra hardware it works better than the 300 ohm.

There are no leaves on the trees yet,I have them pointed between the trees.


Ed...

 

[roashru]

vmaxed, From I have read and seen in your earlier posts you used 120v electrical wire with the center wire just cut off instead of using real 300 ohm RF wire I was wondering why you done that. Real 300 ohm wire is getting harder to find in the large discount department stores, but the amature radio community still uses it. below is info I have found on 300 ohm wire if anyone is interested.

mfj enterprises (the best)
300 ohm twin lead 18 gauge
mfj-18t050: 50 feet
mfj-18t100: 100 feet
mfj-18t250: 250 feet

leviton
300 ohm twin lead 20 gauge
630-x3125-50: 50 feet

pct international
300 ohm twin lead 20 gauge
9354: 500 feet

radioshack
300 ohm twin lead 20 gauge
15-1175: 100 feet

philips/gemini
300 ohm twin lead 20 gauge
m61420: 50 feet
m61421: 100 feet

 

[vmaxed]

roashru....I will try radioshack for 300 ohm wire next week and see how it works.

Thanks

Ed..

 

[vmaxed]

Update on DB4, DB2 install with 300 ohm wire.

I went to radioshack for 300 ohm wire and added it and a WINEGARD AP-8700 AMPLIFIER.The amp helped it to adjust all channels.
So it 's all working good and I don't have to use a rotor.

Ed..

 

[timmy1376]

I had a guy tell me the same thing, that 300 wire will work better than RG6.

I have two UHF antenna pointed in separate directions joined with an splitter reversed. Would I get better results running 300 wire from on to the other instead of the splitter?

 

[vmaxed]

I had a guy tell me the same thing, that 300 wire will work better than RG6.

I have two UHF antenna pointed in separate directions joined with an splitter reversed. Would I get better results running 300 wire from on to the other instead of the splitter?

One thing I found out is you don't know till you try....

 

[Peter Parker]

WTNH is 8 on analog and uses 10 for the digital signal. WWLP has an analog signal at 22 and a digital one at 11.


I could not receive either where I grew up in the berkshires but I remember watching them at my grandparent's house in Holyoke, MA.

 

[vmaxed]

WTNH is 8 on analog and uses 10 for the digital signal. WWLP has an analog signal at 22 and a digital one at 11.


I could not receive either where I grew up in the berkshires but I remember watching them at my grandparent's house in Holyoke, MA.

I receive 8.1 and 22.1 digital here,they are VHF channels.

Ed..

 

[bcope9]

Someone needs to bring back the old track wire. Real good stuff, but very hard to find.